Firefighter blames govt for fatal Joburg CBD fire
Johannesburg firefighters have lashed out at the government as they recounted the hours leading up to the deaths of three colleagues at the Bank of Lisbon building.
The firefighters were killed while battling a blaze on the 23rd floor of the building, where the Gauteng health department was situated.
It claimed the lives of 28-year-old Simphiwe Moropane, 40-year-old Mduduzi Ndlovu and 37-year-old Kathutshelo Muedi.
Moropane was killed after he ran out of oxygen, went to the ledge of the 23rd floor to get some air and slipped.
Ndlovu and Muedi ran out of oxygen after being trapped for several hours.
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A memorial service is being held for the three at the Ellis Park arena on Wednesday.
“Our brothers were robbed by lack of water, that was ended their lives. We didn’t expect a government building to not comply with regulations and kill our brothers in that manner. That building belongs to government and government killed our brothers,” said firefighter, Muzikayise Zwane.
“When I arrived at the scene I was told Moropane had already died. I was sent inside and when I entered the fire was different, if that building complied that fire would not have behaved the way it did,” said another firefighter, Simphiwe Sibiya.
Sibiya said he fought many fires on high rise buildings with the deceased and the knew their work very well.
Zwane described the situation as so dire, two firefighters suffered burns on their hands as they were trying to put out of the fire.